Tire skid chain



Julie 15, 1948. G, T, BACKE, JR 2,443,219

TIRE smn 0mm Filed June 2, 1947 I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Fig. /2.

George Thomas Bdcke, J1:

' Attorneys 15, 1948. 1-, A JR 2,443,219

TIRE SKID CHAIN Fiied June 2, 1947. w 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6.

PM? Im/entm 5 George Thomas Backe, Jr.

By 2mm Patented June 15, 1948 WED ESTATES II'IIB ID GHA'IN ite:ThomasiBacke, :Jr.,:Je1:sey;5.Gity, N;; J,

J Ann i a iQn. -Iune 2, 1941,;Serial N 75 6 Claims.

'"iThis invention. appertains to novel and -usefu ';;irnprovementsin'tire antiskid-d-evicesand means *"forconvenient1y,-- resiliently andeasily attachingand detaching the same to a tire.

'Anbbiecbofifthis invention is-to provide a ;col-.

" lansible anti-skid :device havingimproved means 'for'-latching-'thesame-in-the operative; usual po- "si'tion-about theperipheryof a conventional'tire. "Another "object of this inventionis-to-provide "improved,- resilientlybiasedlatch means-cooper- '1' ablewith anarcuatejocking means.

, adevice of the" character to be subsequently set -f orthwhich iscomrnerciallyi-easible, lending itself well; tocommomshop practices.

Other objects'and"features of novelty will be specificaliy pointed outor "will-become apparent *to those skilledgin the "art; in"following-fine de- -"scription of the prefer-red -embodimentof --the-present invention: illustrated in-theaccom-pany ing-drawings, wherein:

Figure "1 is an-eievationalsideview of the-preferred form of the presentinvention-showing the-samein-use with --a conventional tire;

Figure 2 is an elevational "front' view of the invention disclosed in-Figure 1;

Figu-re'3 is an-enlarged-sectional viewof the latcha-means forming partof the "present inven- Figure i 'is I a -transverse sectional viewdisclosing details"of construction'and taken substantially'on theline44of- Figure fi andinthe direction of thearrows ,flmgure fi -"isa-transverse"sectional view of the iinven-tion discloSed in Figure -3and-taken sub- Sta ntiaHy on the line-5'-5 thereof --and in theflirectionaof -'the=;arrows Fignre 6 is alongitudinalsectional viewdisclosing certain details ofconstruction taken sub--stantiallwomthe=line 6'"6' of -Figurefi ancl in the .direction of thearrows;

* Figure'fl-is-anyelevationalsideview-of the in- '.'ven-tiowdisclosed inFigure 1 1" showing the same 1; 'n 'the eoll-apsed form;

-1= Eigure 8 isea sectiflnalview disclosing the-preferre'd method ofsecuring sectional elements of a. 2 "the invention and conention'al &cross link :mem- -;ber-s"ther eto;

- Eigure Q is a sectionalview-similar toFig'ure 5---showing'---certain-elements =ina second position "of operation;

--Figure 10 is a plan view :of a tool especially -designed forausewith-the present invention;

Figure' l-l is an elevational -si'de view of the tool shown in Figure'10; and

- Figure*=12--is aside: view: of: l the tool .dis'closed -in-Figure'-11.

*Referring now in" detail to the illustrated, preferreclembOdimentwf-thepresentinvention, like --reference =cliara'cters areused-.ith-roughout to in- 'dieate similarelements.

This invention has been developedato-provide a device for dextrously andwery-s easily. attaching -and detaching skid chains :or other.anti-sskid clevices to a: conventionalwtire. 'IThe: invention re--=sides--primarilyzinnthewpivotal arrangement of a plurality ofoban'dshavingachaintmeansl extending acrossdn :sets' ornpairsrzthereof.,.A1sovf0rminganimportant part ofi-thezpresent invention is "thei-improved zfilatch emeans' yf or retaining; said bandsinitheapredetermined fixed;operativeposi- 1111011.

"Thei'discomfcrt involved. :inwapplying and re- .unoving conventiona1skid chains f rom-nautomm .tive vehiclesi is :wellz knownrto all personshaving beemfatecl.:with suchta problem. :flhisgisfespecialily truefifthis operation-must be -performed;under .w-adversewconditionswsuchhaswhen ga vehicle is vseeminglyimmor!ablyentrenchedin a large'quantitywof.snow or;lperhapsgim marshy orgmuddy 2 linsert a .single 1 member iinto1a: second qreceiving v:ground. ":The usual. monventional. skid chainemeans .requires :,:that a: person pull, urge and man-ip11late':locking{means etc: thelpersons: great JdiSCOH'IfOItvfihd sdissatisfaction. ":Inthe present --'in.vention allxfthatuis required for retaining. the:skid' chainfidevice :in: the:OPGIatiVGAPOSitiOH is to means. 'E Ihisa-operation' is:-.-repeated -twice, once to lat'chfirt-heloutenwheel: surface-i components and"the;second:timertol'obviouslyalatchztheinner wheel surfacewomponents.

As is-seen'--"c1early fromian inspection .-ofl;Figure 5:2,twoisetsaofaarcuate rbands zare providedm'hich -l arewiclenticai incharacter. @Cross glinks rextencl from one set of bands to theother-{set audit is these?cross'slinkslwhichengageiitheouterzperiphbands areidentical lin construction,-.only cone setwiltlbeidescribed in j'detaiLti a.sxith is:.will;;o necessity,:leadr-:to;-:an :understanfiing 2 of: vthe.vothem set. mnumben-so'ftbandsi III; thand-Lcladz.iaiprovided of any suitablematerial, preferably metallic, and are arcuate in configuration,

The aforementioned bands l0, l2 and [4 are provided with apertures atselected terminal portions and conventional pivot pins l6 extendtherethrough. These pivot pins may be in the form of rivets if sodesired in order to facilitate manufacture. Chain means I8 having straps20 at the terminal portions thereof is provided at selected,predetermined positions about said bands. These straps 20 have aperturestherethrough for receiving detachable securing means therethrough. Thepreferable detachable securing means is a conventional bolt and nutconstruction, generally indicated at 22.

The improved locking means forming an important part of the .presentinvention may be viewed particularly well in Figure 3. This lookingmeans consists primarily of a housing 24 having a shoe 26 slidablyreceived therein. This shoe is provided with diametrically opposite lugs28 extending from the sides thereof and engageable with suitable slots32 in the side Walls of said housing 24. Means for resiliently biasingthe said shoe 2B outwardly of said housing 24 is provided. This means ispreferably a plurality of springs 32 and 34, respectively, seated on aselected wall 36 of the housing 24 and upon a selected face of the shoe26. Lugs 38 may be provided on the said walls 36 and selected wall ofthe shoe 40 for engaging the space between the coils of the springs 32and 34, respectively. Obviously, these lugs may be utilized forfrictionally engaging the innermost portions of the coils, therebyholding said springs in the desired. relative positions.

It is noted at this point that, due to the con- .struction of the saidhousing 24, the said straps 20 must be formed as clamps 42 forencircling the housing 24. These clamps 42 are provided with the boltand nut construction 22 for retaining the same in the proper fixedposition.

Latch means is provided in association with the said housing 24. Thislatch means forms an important part of the present invention and will bedescribed in detail at this time. A housing or cage 45 is rigidlysecured to the said housing 24 and oooperable with the bore thereof bythe medium of a suitable slot provided in said housing 24. A sleevemember 48 is slidably received in the cage 45 and alatch keeper 50 isrigidly secured thereto. This latch keeper projects through a selectedwall of thecage 45 and extends within the sleeve-like member 48. Meansfor resiliently biasing the sleeve-like member 48 relative to thehousing 24 is provided. This means is preferably a coil spring 52interposed between the said housing 24 and a selected wall of thesleeve-like member 48. As described above, the latch keeper rod 50 issecured to said sleeve-like member 48, and accordingly, when thelastmentioned member 48 is moved relative to the housing 2 4,it followsthat the latch-keeping means 50 will also be moved. Actuating means,preferably in the form of a rod 54, is secured to the said sleeve-likemember 48 and projects through E the cage 45. A suitable actuatinghandle or knob 4 the said extension 58 is slidably received within thesaid housing 24, while the latch keeper means 50 simply engages selectedteeth thereof. It is also apparent from this figure that the means forimpeding entry into the housing is also actuated. This means isobviously the shoe 25 and its associated spring mechanism. By utility ofthis lastmentioned structure, upon releasing the latch means 50 fromengagement with the teeth 60, the extension; 8 will'be ejected from thehousing It will be noted from a careful inspection of Figure 1 thatprotuberances 64 are provided adjacent the extension 58. Theseprotuberances are adapted to be engaged by a particularly designed toolin actuation of the locking means. This tool also engages a selectedelement such as the cage 45 or a selected strap 42. Any conventionaltool may be utilized for locking the invention securely to a wheel.However, this invention has been carried a step further in developing aparticularly meritorious tool for use herewith. This tool is disclosedinv Figures lothroughl2, respectively,

A pair of scissors-like arms 66 and 68.. respectively, are pivotedat aselected point thereofby utility of a conventional pivot pin 10.Extensions 12 and 14, respectively, are pivoted tothe terminal portionsof the said scissors-like arms or rods 66 and 68. Then,.fpairs. ofoppositely facing, U-shaped members 16 are received, on the terminalportions ofsaid extensions 12 and 74. These U-shaped, members areengageable with said protuberances 64 and the said cage ,45 or, ifdesired, the clamp 42. It will benoted by the construction of the toolthat it maybe easily and conveniently, folded at the pivot points forstorage in relatively confined areas suchas is usually found in theluggage compartments of automotive vehicles. Also, by utility of thepivoted extensions 12 and T4, the innermost locking means of each tiremay be more easily reached and consequently easier to manipulate. Whilethere has been described and illustrated but a single preferredembodiment of thepresent invention, it is apparent that various changesclaims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: 7

l. A tire anti-skid device comprising sets of a plurality of arcuatebands, pivot means received in selected terminal portions of said bands,chain means extending across said sets ofbands, adjustable latch meansassociated with selected terminal portions of said bands, saidadjustable latch means including a housing associated with a selectedband, a reduced extension having teeth thereon projected fromasecondselected band and means secured to said housingfor'engagingselected teeth of said extension, said lastmentioned means comprising acage secured to said housing, an insert slidably received in said "cage,a keeper secured to said insert, means for resiliently biasing saidinsert positioned within said cage. 7

2. In a readily attachable anti-skid device, "sets of mutually pivotedlinks, chain -mea ns secured across said sets of links, adjustable,resiliently biased latch means associated with selected links,said-latch means comprising a cage, a sleeve re-' ceived in said cage,means for resiliently urging said sleeve and a lug secured to saidsleeve.

3. In a readily attachable anti-skid device, sets of mutually pivotedlinks, chain means detachably secured across said sets of links,adjustable resiliently biased latch means associated with selectedlinks, said latch means comprising a cage, a sleeve received in saidcage, means for resiliently urging said sleeve and a lug secured to saidsleeve, extension means on a selected link comprising an arcuate rodhaving gear teeth thereon engageable with said lug.

4. In a. readily attachable anti-skid device, sets of mutually pivotedlinks, chain means detachably secured across said sets of links,adjustable resiliently biased latch means associated with selectedlinks, said latch means including a housing secured to a selected link,resiliently biased latch keeper means secured to said housing, extensionmeans on a second selected link slidably received in said housing andengageable with said latch keeper means, and means for resilientlyresisting penetration of said extension means in said housing, saidlast-mentioned means comprising a shoe in said housing, means forrestricting the travel of said shoe and spring means for resilientlybiasing said shoe outwardly of said housing.

5. In a readily attachable anti-skid device, sets of mutually pivotedlinks, chain means detachably secured across said sets of links,adjustable resiliently biased latch means associated with selectedlinks, said latch keeper means comprising a cage, a sleeve received insaid cage, means for resiliently urging said sleeve and a lug secured tosaid sleeve, said extensionmeans comprising an arcuate rod having gearteeth thereon engageable with said lug, a shoe slidably received in saidhousing, spring means engaging said shoe and a selected wall of saidhousing, slots in said housing, means secured to said shoe engageablewith said slots for directing the travel of said shoe.

6. The combination of claim 2 and means on a selected link lockinglyengageable with said lug in selected position, thereby selectivelyadjusting the effective diameter of said sets of mutually pivoted links.

GEORGE THOMAS BACKE, J 3.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,311,048 Cramer July 2-2, 19191,627,776 I-llaumerson May 10, 1927 1,733,871 Frank Oct. 29, 19291,801,159 Hunter Apr. 14, 193-1

